When it is our turn to play to a trick, the only requirement that you need to be concerned about is following suit. Often, playing a card that would not be considered "normal" can lead the declarer astray.
In today's deal, West led the ten of hearts to East's ace. A diamond shift will defeat the contract immediately. Since this is not clear to the defenders, East cannot be faulted for leading the nine of spades.
Delarer led a club to the jack and East played the nine. It certainly couldn't cost and it might just give declarer some things to think about. In any event, it worked. Declarer came back to his hand with a top spade and led the queen of clubs. West played the king and the ace was played from the dummy.
Declarer played the queen of hearts. East discarded a spade. A small diamond came next and East played the king. East cashed the ten of clubs and exited with a spade. Declarer was forced to trump in the dummy and had to get off lead with a diamond. West won the ace and played the nine of hearts. Declarer won the king but still had a heart to lose for down one.
This hand should always go down one trick, but the spade shift at trick two gave declarer a chance to make the contract. East's deceptive play was a winner.
Unit 125 of the American Contract Bridge League held the Buckeye State Sectional Bridge Tournament in Solon on November 5 - 7. The following players were successful in their respective events on November 6. Other results appeared last week, more will be listed next week.
Two Session Flight A Open Pairs (25 pairs). Stratum A1. 1. Phillip Becker, Beachwood, and Kumar Bhatia, Pepper Pike. 2. Sally and Marvin Kane, Willoughby. Stratum A2. 1. Gary Sikon, Lakewood, and Karl Zaman, Strongsville. 2. Dennis Bushman, Strongsville, and Mark Rishavy, Westlake.
Morning Flight B Pairs (40 pairs). 1. Sheilah Rosenberg, Beachwood, and Virginia Young, Hudson. 2. William Lea Jr, Reynoldsburg, and Steven Grzegorzewski, Meadville, PA.
Afternoon Flight B Pairs (32 pairs). 1. William Lea Jr, Reynoldsburg, and Steven Grzegorzewski, Meadville, PA. 2. Herbert and Janice Scibbe, Brecksville.
Morning Flilght C Pairs (22 pairs). 1/2. Martha Wilk, Willoughby, and Lucille Race, Cleveland, with Russell Kalbrunner, Olmsted Falls, and Robert Leibold, Brunswick.
Afternoon Flight C Pairs (14 pairs). 1. Lawrence and Carol Wise, Chagrin Falls. 2. Russell Kalbrunner, Olmsted Falls, and Robert Leibold, Brunswick.
Morning 299er Pairs (32 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Robert Pekkanen, Cortland, and Robert Carroll, Warren. 2. Edith Dus-Garden, Fairview Park, and Doug Henderson, Cleveland. Stratum B. 1. Pekkanen and Carroll. 2. Barbara Brown, Chardon, and Penny Williams, Madison.
Afternoon 299er Pairs (24 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Robert
Pekkanen, Cortland, and Robert Carroll, Warren. 2. Doris Kirsch,
East Springfield, PA, and James Wise, Cambridge Springs, PA.
Stratum B. 1. Pekkanen and Carroll. 2. Judith Rolnicki,
Brunswick, and Steven Wolotsky, Lakewood. Stratum C. Pekkanen
and Carroll. 2. John and Rose Salak, Meadville, PA.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.